People are flooding to social media in horror over a drone's recording of a croc 'stalking' a dog.
On a beach in Seisia in Queensland, Australia, a dog owner was lucky their canine didn't wander too much further into the sea otherwise it might not've lived to bark again. Prepare to hold your breath:
The footage was captured by a drone camera and broadcast by 9News.
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A clip posted to Facebook shows a dog on the beach right next to the water and a dark shadowy figure underneath the waves.
As the dog walks up the beach and then turns to the right to circle around, the dark figure in the water can be seen doing the same, coming closer into shore and subsequently revealing itself as a crocodile.
The dog then wanders back down the beach, the croc remaining in the shallows of the water, staring right at it, waiting for it to come closer.
Alas, the canine then does wander back towards the sea, not having yet realised the danger that lies waiting.
Thankfully, the croc doesn't catch up with the dog quick enough and by the time the dog touches the water slightly, it quickly spots the beast lying in wait.
The dog sensibly walks away back down the beach, however, not without one final check to see if the croc is still following it, which is certainly is.
While the footage then ends, 9News reports the dog was 'miraculously' left 'unharmed'.
However, that's not stopped viewers flooding to Facebook in horror over the stalking incident.
One user said: "That dog was very lucky."
"Be ready at all times," another added.
A third commented: "Held my breath watching that, except where I was yelling at the dog to move."
Queensland Government has advice on how to stay safe from crocs while visiting beaches.
On its website it explains: "Crocodiles are apex predators that use ambush tactics, such as lying and waiting at the water’s edge, to capture their prey."
In order to stay safe, it advises you stay 'at least five meters from the water's edge, dispose of your food and fish scraps in the bin or take them hope, keep your pets on a lead and away from the water's edge, avoid using small watercraft such as kayaks and paddleboards and stay well away from crocodile traps'.
It adds: "Just because you can’t see a crocodile, it doesn’t mean there is not one close by."
Topics: Animals, Australia, Dogs, Facebook, Social Media, Viral, Nature
Poppy Bilderbeck